Can you join the army if you're a single parent?

Question

Are you allowed to join any military force (mainly the US Army) if you're a single parent (never been married) and have full custody of your child?

Answer 1

For you to go active duty there are two ways to go, sign over custody of your child to a relative or get married to somebody so they can take care of your child before you leave, and then you can get divorced after you get to your duty station (your recruiter will tell you either or both...shady eh?) I have had many friends with the same problem, and usually they sign over guardianship to one of their parents. When you are fully in then you have to have a family care plan, which entails somebody being able to watch him for short time problems (a week or two in teh field) or long term problems (deployment). Its good though, educations benefits, healthcare benefits, paying for housing, and cheap daycare on post are all upsides to the military. If you talk to a recruiter in your area, tell him I sent ya, I'll get 2k dollars and split it with ya :P...no on a seriouse not, talk to them and they'll explain different ways to do this. Good luck and hopefully you figure it all out

Answer 2

Short answer: Yes. But you have to have an approved Family Care Plan that identifies someone who gets full power / custody of your child if you have to deploy / be gone for training.

Long answer: Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.

I love the Army. But it is not a life for everyone. And your first priority has to be to your child. Yes, the Army has cheap daycare that opens at 6am and stays open til after 6pm. But is it right to put your kid there for 12 hours a day? (and yes, most Army days are 6am PT to 5pm end of day... with lots of option for "get that done NOW').

Be prepared to leave your child for weeks, months and maybe a year at a time in someone else's hands. Be prepared to have to constantly juggle your work and parent responsibilities -- you will get assignments at 4:50 to get done TODAY, and no one will think twice about it because Soldiers routinely work late. You will have no-notice early formations and all-night duty and 101 other things that take you away from your child. And you will be the 'strange' one who cannot get promoted and is given a hard time because EVERYONE ELSE IS AVAILABLE TO DO WHATEVER THE MISSION REQUIRES.

There is an old saying "If the Army had wanted you to have a wife they would have issued you one". That goes *10 for single parents. It is hard to be a married parent in the Army and trying to do it all yourself is beyond hard.

Think this thru. If you really want to serve your country (or just really need the $$ / benefits) consider the Army Reserve or Army National Guard. Still some challenges, but its not every day.

Good Luck and God Bless you and your little one!

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Can you join the army if you're a single parent?
Are you allowed to join any military force (mainly the US Army) if you're a single parent (never been married) and have full custody of your child?

Answer 4

Policy- With the exception of the Army National Guard, single parents are not allowed to enlist in the military, period. In the "old days," some recruits would try to get around this restriction by giving up legal custody of their child(ren) until after basic training and job school, but the military has wised up to this practice. In the Army and Air Force, single member parent applicants who, at the time of initial processing for enlistment, indicate they have a child or children in the custody of the other parent or another adult are advised and required to acknowledge by certification that their intent at the time of enlistment was not to enter the Air Force/Army with the express intention of regaining custody after enlistment. These applicants must execute a signed statement testifying they have been advised that, if they regain custody during their term of enlistment, they will be in violation of the stated intent of their enlistment contract. They may be subject to involuntary separation for fraudulent entry unless they can show cause, such as the death or incapacity of the other parent or custodian, or their marital status changes from single to married. Call a recruiter, they will tell you the same.

Answer 5

You can join the Army Reserves right now as a single parent.

Answer 6

NO. You may NOT give up custody for the sole purpose of enlisting and you may NOT get custody back at all for the entire first term of enlistment.

Some Reserve and Guard Components will take Single parents with a rock solid Family Care Plan.

Answer 7

You have to give up custody of your child. The US Miltiary has benefits for children and higher pay for allowances such as housing. But you have to give these up and join as a single person to join the Army.

Don't do it! Your child is yours and you shouldn't have to give him or her away so they military can take away your benefits.

Answer 8

I had a friend who had to sign over custody of her kid before they would let her join the army but that was 4 years ago things might have changed

Answer 9

You have to have someone to take care of the child during "boot camp" and training. Also you must have a family action plan which states in writing who will take custody of your child if and when you are deployed.

Answer 10

You must have a plan of who can care for your child when you can't. Your duties come first, family second. You will still have to be deploy-able.